SAP® MaxDB®

SAP MaxDB: High Performance DBMS for Business Applications,in- and outside of the SAP World

SAP® MaxDB™ belongs to the exclusive circle of the six database management systems, authorized for runtime use with the applications of the SAP Business Suite. SAP AG authorized Infolytics AG at the beginning of 2014 as the first OEM partner in the world to market SAP MaxDB for use outside the SAP world.

The database software has belonged to SAP since 1997, and has since been supported by a dedicated SAP development team. The primary goal has always been to create a database management system that is perfectly tuned to the demands of transactional enterprise applications, and that at a low cost. The combination of low license fees and the low level of effort required for ongoing system monitoring (zero administration) thus reduces the total cost of ownership (TCO).

MaxDB Editions

SAP MaxDB is offered in different editions. The MaxDB software is technically 100% identical in all editions. Editions differ only in license fees and terms and conditions and in service offers.

SAP MaxDB Runtime Edition for SAP Applications

SAP MaxDB currently runs reliably at approximately 10,000 SAP user companies with over 30,000 systems installed. Apart from SAP ERP applications, there is a number of SAP products based on MaxDB technology, namely SCM/APO (liveCache), Content Server and the SAP Business ByDesign cloud solution. On account of the cooperation over many years with SAP AG in the area of database technology, Infolytics knows the SAP database not only from an application perspective but also right down to the source code level. Our developers conducted ports of DBMS software to other platforms already in pre-SAP times of MaxDB. In the course of the (now terminated) data warehouse technology cooperation between SAP and Teradata, Infolytics has been entrusted with the development of the software product Teradata Foundation for SAP NetWeaver® BW 7.30. The implementation of this gateway solution was performed on the basis of MaxDB kernel technology.

Infolytics MaxDB Enterprise Edition

The SAP MaxDB Enterprise Edition makes available for the first time a commercial version of the SAP database, usable outside the SAP world. Currently it is exclusively marketed by Infolytics AG, the sole OEM for the product worldwide. Apart from the original SAP database, the bundle contains Infolytics‘ Mobile DB Monitor for online monitoring of MaxDB database instances. The database software itself is technically identical with the DBMS reliably doing its duty in tens of thousand SAP installations. In contrast to the Runtime Edition, the Enterprise Edition license permits the development of ones own database applications. The Enterprise Edition differs from the free Community Edition in the obligatory maintenance package associated with the license. Not only does it ensure helpdesk support by Infolytics experts, but it also guarantees last level support by SAP as the product owner.

SAP MaxDB Community Edition

Since the termination of the cooperation between MySQL AB and SAP AG in 2007, MaxDB is no longer offered open source under the GNU General Public License. SAP offers users of the former open source software an also free alternative with the Community Edition since MaxDB Version 7.6. This freeware edition of the SAP database is available for unrestricted, free use outside the SAP world. The SAP Community License Agreement for MaxDB sets out the usage rights, that SAP grants with the database software. The license covers the right to free usage for development and testing of own MaxDB-based software applications, and for copying and internal distribution of the DBMS software used with such applications, with the exception of SAP applications. In addition, the database software can be copied and under the Community License, can be passed on free of charge in a bundle with selfdeveloped software. This basic restriction always prevails: the database system may under no circumstances be used with SAP applications. As is customary with free software, SAP assumes no warranty or liability for the Community Edition.

Prices and conditions for the Enterprise Edition

Depending on the deployment scenario, there are two license models for the bundle SAP MaxDB Enterprise Edition: the On-Premise License or the ASP License. The On-Premise License is aimed at end users, i.e. businesses and organizations that want to run the DBMS software on their own computer systems. This model also serves retailers such as value added resellers (VARs), who intend to distribute their own application solutions bundled with the SAP database to end customers. In contrast, the ASP License aims at applications services providers, who want to run MaxDB-based applications in their own data processing center and offer it as rental service.

CPU/Core-based pricing model

CPU-based price calculation rests on the number of CPUs — arranged in order of the number of cores — that are to be enabled to use the database software. Unlike other database products, MaxDB requires no further access licenses (e.g. compare with Microsoft Client Access License, CAL). This means that the number of clients who may access the database server is unlimited.

User-based price model

This model counts the number of Concurrent Users(Seats) authorized to simultaneously access the database, independently of the CPUs on which the database server software runs. A User (Seat) is defined as an instance of application software running on a stationary or mobile client and which maintains a connection to the database. Whether the user is a person or a machine is irrelevant. The base price is 80 € per User at a minimum amount of 20 Users. We offer bulk discounts depending on the number of licensed users.

Value contract

Infolytics offers a project-based schedule agreement as an alternative to the CPU-based price model, for large scale installations with several hundred servers. This is a volume contract starting at 200,000 € with bulk discounts therein.

Maintenance

The cost for the obligatory standard maintenance (includes helpdesk support and software updates) is 18% of the applicable list price (discount scales considered). Maintenance is charged in advance on a quarterly basis.

Prices and conditions for ASP licenses are available upon request. License offers are exclusively for commercial users. All prices add VAT.